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Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Every once in a while you come across something that immediately brings you joy. A couple of years ago I attended a Wavves show at the Brighton Music Hall. The show stood out to me for two reasons: 1. It’s the only show that I played pool at and was approached by a 6 year old asking if he could join in. A 6 year old a Wavves concert. Still wondering how that one happened. 2. It was my first experience with the LA punk band FIDLAR, who put on a show that was raucous and loud. They made people notice them right away, myself included.

Time marched on and I stuck with FIDLAR. They write music about what they know, which is having fun, partying, getting drunk on cheap beer and talking about fucking stuff up. When it comes down to it, it’s what most people in their 20’s know.. They don’t worry about much, and they’re not subtle. In fact, subtle to them is changing their name from ‘Fuck the Clock’ to an acronym for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’. FIDLAR uses their LA skate and surf mentality into their punk rock music, and it works for them. I’ve been gushing about the music, but what has helped put them near and dear to my heart are the little things. They have an awesome Instagram and tumblr. I’d highly recommend giving @FIDLAR_LA that follow on Insti and be prepared to see movie reenactments ever #MatineeMonday. They’re DGAF attitude is clear and you don’t need X-Ray specs to see that they are at their best when they’re goofing off.

Never happened if you don't take a marquee shot

I saw FIDLAR for the second time a couple of nights ago at the Paradise in Boston, and the show was absurd. First off, it was nice to buy a tshirt at the merch table and turn around to see Brandon the bass player just standing there checking out openers METZ. I tapped him on the shoulder, asked him for a quick picture and he obliged and gave me this frame-worthy gem:

Living the dream 1/2

Couple of minutes later I turned around and Zac (lead singer/guitar) was just standing by the same merch table just bobbing his head. He obliged to a quick selfie, shook my hand and was super cool about a drunk guy with a mean jewfro asking him for a selfie, so I’m grateful for that.

Living the dream 2/2

When it was their time to shine, FIDLAR put on one of the most entertaining shows I have been to. Opening song ‘Stoked and Broke’ started the pushing and shoving that is common for a FIDLAR show, and although it may have spilled a good chunk out of my 2 PBR tallboys (fewer trips to the bar when you order 2), I just didn’t care. It took maybe 10 seconds of their set to have me completely won over. They played classics of their debut self titled album such as ‘Cheap Beer’ ‘5 to 9’ and closer ‘Cocaine’ that had a great build up after Zac told the crowd to sit down on the ground until the song kicked into gear, causing this epic explosion of people jumping around.

Also in the set was an epic cover of Weezer’s Sweater Song, chock full of a bunch of “meow meow’s” sung along to the lyrics, and a few older gems/demos/b-sides like ‘The Punks Are Finally Taking Acid’ and ‘West Coast’ which many people have apparently discovered on youtube. In fact, the crowd was told that footage of the show would be used for an upcoming video for ‘West Coast’, so it looks like they’re taking an old song and resurrecting it for a new album.

Wait, new album? Hell yeah, new album. FIDLAR played 4 new songs off of their newly (as in this morning) announced second album ‘Too’. When it comes to playing new songs at shows, especially before a new album is out, it’s usually a sign for people to use the bathroom or refill on those PBR tallboy’s. This was not the case. They were welcomed with open arms. People are excited about these guys, which just made the show flow so well. They played a hell of a show, mixing new and old, rarities and covers, and we all ate it up.

The new album isn’t out until September, but one of those new songs, ’40 Oz On Repeat’ was released as a single today, along with one of the best videos I have seen in a while. Now, the song itself is extremely catchy and one that I am proud to list as an example when I tell people to check out FIDLAR. It’s catchy and takes what sounds like some paranoia and self actualizing and turns it into a sort of punk rock anthem that would make even The Ramones proud, if any of them were alive.

The music video for 40 Oz On Repeat is a whole different ballgame, yet still an epic one. Kids of the 90’s generation are proving to older, and especially the younger, generations that we grew up in a golden age of pop culture. This music video is a kind of tribute to some of the great music videos that we grew up with. With reenactments of music videos ranging from Eminem to Sugar Ray, Missy Elliot to Korn and Britney Spears to the Beastie Boys (I know this was 80’s but c’mon it’s a classic), FIDLAR nailed it. No one gives a shit about music videos these days, but with this, and their videos for ‘Cheap Beer’ and ‘No Waves’, you know FIDLAR cares, and they have fun doing that kind of stuff.

Right now, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of FIDLAR. I always hated people who don’t want a band to “sell out” by getting famous and stop following them when they start making money. I think that’s pretty pathetic. I prefer to spread the good word of the good bands when I can. This planet is full of shitty music (looking at you, Nickelback), so I figure I’m making the world a better place when I can help share a band who likes to party hard and sing about that very thing. Everyone has their own musical taste, and I get that, but if you’ve read this blogpost this far, you might as well take my advice and give FIDLAR a shot. They’re a breath of fresh air to the music world, and it looks like a bright future awaits them.